Meeting Abstract

98.7  Monday, Jan. 6 15:00  Effects of resveratrol on the growth and muscle physiology of juvenile southern flounder WILSON , W*; BAUMGARNER, B; WATANABE, W; ALAM, S; KINSEY, S; University of NC in Wilmington ; University of NC in Wilmington ; University of NC in Wilmington ; University of NC in Wilmington ; University of NC in Wilmington wnw2488@uncw.edu

Dietary resveratrol has been widely studied in mammals, where it increases aerobic capacity, serves an antioxidant function, and may extend lifespan. In fish, resveratrol has been demonstrated to increase the longevity of a short-lived species. However, the effects of resveratrol on growth have not been examined in fishes. We tested the hypotheses that resveratrol supplementation in Southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, would decrease protein carbonylation (indicator of oxidative damage) and ubiquitination (indicator of protein degradation) and would lead to an increase in growth and mitochondrial density. 144 fish were obtained and divided into a control and resveratrol treatment with 3 tanks per group. Fish within the resveratrol treatment were fed 600 µg resveratrol per g of food for 16 weeks. Body length and food consumption were recorded weekly for each group. Carbonylation and ubiquitination were measured in muscle and liver tissues using dot blots. Transmission electron microscopy and stereology were used to determine mitochondrial volume density within the muscle tissue. Fish treated with resveratrol had a 9% greater length than control fish after 16 weeks, and this was associated with a 16% increase in food intake. However, there was not a difference in carbonylation or ubiquination within the muscle and liver tissues. Mitochondrial volume density was nearly 2-fold higher in fish fed resveratrol. These results suggest that resveratrol has positive effects on growth that may be independent of its antioxidant properties.